86.6% of Chinese listen to music on the Net.

In February 2008, after a 53% growth rate in 2007, the Chinese Internet Network Information Centre (CNNIC) finally declared the Chinese internet base to be the largest in the world with 221 million users (meanwhile gone up to 253 million). At 16% penetration, this still leaves huge room for growth

The internet has not only afforded a freedom of expression and identity previously unavailable to the Chinese, it has also almost totally usurped the roll of all offline music media: portals, webzines, bulletin boards (BBS), video sites, music blogs, music streaming. In fact, so important has it become as a medium that a full 86.6% of all netizens use the web to listen to music – the highest of any usage including search and email.

Article by Ed Peto, (read full article ) on outdustry.com

Engineer and Sking records join xiixii

The Emo, Punk, Hardcore label Engineer records and the famous dance label Skint records are using xiixii to get their music known in China. Both companies publish over 40 artists in xiixii’s music section.

DJ Tudor joined in November 08

This is the You tube phenomenon DJ Tutor aka ellaskins, a real working DJ, with over 20 years experience in all fields: club, mobile and radio. He has transformed the DJ Tuition market with his on-line tutorials, which have had over 1 million hits, earning him the 6th place in the UK Guru charts on YouTube. DJ Tutor is a truly Global Phenomenon!!

Programs range from buying the right equipment to the latest tricks how a DJ can heat up the dance floor. DJ ellaskins joined xiixii right from the beta launch.

Should I Act On My Threesome Fantasy?

This is the sort of question Dan and Jennifer is discussing in their program ‘Ask Dan And Jennifer’, today’s best and most popular love, sex, and dating advice column on the internet. The American couple is openly discussing all questions in a direct, fun, non-judgmental manner. The frank approach has given them such fame that the program has also been featured on TV, radio, and print media. End of November the first Ask Dan And Jennifer show went online on xiixii

License needed for Chinese video websites

It’s nearly one year ago now (since 31st January 2008 to be precise) that an Online Audio and Video Broadcasting Licence is needed to broadcast rich media content on the Internet in China. Applicants must be a state-owned sole proprietorship or holding unit with a legal person status. Apart form the license a network operators has to be choosen who holds the telecommunication business license for Internet access services. So far only around 120 licences for the hole of China have been issued, to state-owned TV stations and state-controlled media companies. Broadcasting videos or music without such a license holds the risk that the website site will be shut down.

How does banning web pages bother Chinese surfers?

Most of the 225 million Chinese internet users still go only to local websites, so banning western web pages does not effect them too much. The ban on Wikipedia for example is gradually lifting, but if someone keeps clicking sensitive topics on it, he or she will not be able to connect to the site for minutes or longer. The image sharing website Flickr can be viewed in China but users have to install certain browser plug-ins to see all the pictures on it. On the other hand the users with higher IT skills can still visit the blocked websites through a proxy server or through other ways.